Seven Points of Mind Training

Chekawa Yeshe Dorje

Seven Points of Mind Training (wyl. blo sbyong don bdun ma) - The famous instruction on 'mind training' (Tib.lojong) brought to Tibet by Lord Atisha and written down by Geshe Chekawa. The seven points are:

1. The Preliminaries to Mind Training (sngon 'gro rten gyi chos sems pa)
2. The Main Practice of Training the Mind in Bodhichitta (dngos gzhi byang chub kyi sems sbyong ba)
3. Transforming Adversity into the Path of Awakening (rkyen ngan byang chub kyi lam du bsgyur ba)
4. Applying the Practice Throughout One's Whole Life (tshe gcig gi nyams len dril nas bstan pa)
5. The Measure or Signs of Proficiency in Mind Training (blo 'byongs pa'i tshad dam rtags)
6. The Commitments of Mind Training (blo sbyong gi dam tshig)
7. The Precepts of Mind Training (blo sbyong gi bslab bya)

Chekawa's original text was not arranged into these seven points. This was done later by his disciple, Sechilphuwa Özer Shyönnu (aka Chökyi Gyaltsen) (1121-1189).

Translations and Commentaries

In English

• B. Alan Wallace, Seven Point Mind Training, Snow Lion Publications, 2004
• B. Alan Wallace, Buddhism with an Attitude, Snow Lion Publications, 2003
• Dalai Lama, Awakening the Mind, Lightening the Heart, the Dalai Lama (based on a commentary by Hortön Namkha Pel, a disciple of Tsongkhapa), Harper San Francisco, 1995
• Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Enlightened Courage, Editions Padmakara, 1992
• Chögyam Trungpa, Training the Mind and Cultivating Loving Kindness, Shambhala, 1993
• Geshe Lobsang Tharchin, Achieving Bodhichitta, Mahayana Sutra and Tantra Press, 1999
• Gomo Tulku, Becoming a Child of the Buddhas, Wisdom Publications, 1998
• Jamgön Kongtrul, The Great Path of Awakening, translated by Ken McLeod, Shambhala, 2005
• Pema Chödrön, Start Where You Are, Shambhala, 2001
• Ringu Tulku Mind Training, Snow Lion Publications, 2007
• Zhechen Gyaltsab Gyurmed Padma Namgyal, Path of Heroes: Birth of Enlightenment (two volumes), Dharma Press, 1995

Teachings on the Seven Points of Mind Training

• Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, 23-27 July 2006 (based on the commentary by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé)